Field of the Invention
The present teaching relates to a method for manufacturing a liquid jetting apparatus, and to the liquid jetting apparatus.
Description of the Related Art
Japanese Patent No. 3852560 discloses an ink jet head as a liquid jetting apparatus. This ink jet head has a flow passage formation substrate formed with ink flow passages such as a plurality of pressure chambers and the like in communication with a plurality of nozzles respectively, and a plurality of piezoelectric elements provided on the flow passage formation substrate to correspond to the plurality of pressure chambers respectively.
The plurality of piezoelectric elements are arranged on an elastic film formed on the flow passage formation substrate to cover the plurality of pressure chambers. Each of the piezoelectric elements includes a piezoelectric film, a lower electrode film arranged on a side near to the flow passage formation substrate (lower side) with respect to the piezoelectric film, and an upper electrode film arranged on another side far from the flow passage formation substrate with respect to the piezoelectric film. Wires (lead electrodes) are provided to extend on the elastic film such that their end portions on one side are arranged to cover the upper surfaces of the upper electrode films to be connected with the upper electrode films.
The piezoelectric elements mentioned above are manufactured through the following steps. First, the lower electrode film of the piezoelectric elements is formed on the elastic film. Next, the piezoelectric film and the upper electrode film are formed and etched to pattern the piezoelectric elements. Next, after an electroconductive film is formed on an entire surface of the flow passage formation substrate, the electroconductive film is patterned for each of the piezoelectric elements to form the plurality of wires.